ive been reading up on a lot of projects people have been using the arduinos and raspberry PIs for, and its given me a number of my own ideas.. unfortunately im unable to bring my own ideas to life because i dont know much at all about electronics or programming, so im looking to learn more about digital electronics, and even analog devices as well (like radios and old guitar amps, etc)

so.. to start out, ive been doing more research on circuitry, their components and ive been wanting to learn how to do more.. so im wondering what would be a good start into learning more about developing of electronics..

should i experiment more with the raspberry pi..id love to make a handheld console for it to play NES/SNES/sega emulators, perhaps a networking router, or just build a desktop computer (linux of course) in otherwise unusual form factors...

some ideas i have it seems the arduino would be more suitable, things like robotics, and simpler electronics.. also, apparently i can get the arduino in a perf-board kit which might make the learning process a bit more in depth.. and im sure there are alternatives to the arduino

oh i know how the two devices differ.. i just have ideas that require one or the other.. would love to maybe take an old broken nintendo console.. put a pi inside that running a stripped down linux operating system that boots directly into an NES emulator, HDMI output (would be interesting to see a nintendo with HDMI).. maybe an NES controller port to USB connection and required linux drivers.. and to top it off, maybe have some system to read original cartridges into the device so it would still function like a nintendo.. but much more reliably, and allow me to rip or store games on the SD

for the arduino. the ideas i have for this are things like electronic musical instruments or robotics.. i thought about using an arduino for a CNC controller, as im wanting to buy an old bridgeport mill to restore with all new bearings, screws, etc and convert to CNC.. maybe a 3d printer for making plastic components if i get serious with it...

i honestly thing i have more uses for the arduino than the pi, so id probably go with the arduino first.. though the pi might actually be easier for the projects i have that might use it, as all im basically doing is installing a barebones linux operating system and running the software within that that i need.. ive been using linux for about 5 years now (archlinux mostly)..

so it wouldnt be very difficult for me to remove the desktop environment and get a piece of needed software to run on the xserver fullscreen without needing the desktop environment slowing things down

but those are just project ideas i can basically find instructions to follow, doesnt actually teach much.. doesnt really tell me why a circuit board is made the way it is.. i mean, if designing a circuit board from scratch, trying to determine where the capacitors, resistors, diodes, etc go and why they go there and i think the best learning tool for that would actually be a bread board that can allow me to build circuits in a more temporary manner for learning projects, testing, etc..

Exactly, get yourself a breadboard or maybe a starter kit, a few 555 timers and op-amps. And start making stuff. It's better not to set your sights too high to begin with, just mess around a bit. Don't forget that making mistakes is how you learn, magic smoke is fun (sometimes).

aah.. yeah, pic32, almost forgot about them.. they could do anything the arduino can in a different way.. so i guess i should consider pic32s as well, can anyone make a case for them over arduinos?..or perhaps a different device entirely?